Chapter 10 : Investigating the Bamboo Grove
10: Investigating the Bamboo Grove
"Master and Mistress were both widely read. The Mistress also enjoyed making incense and medicinal pills. In the past, our home never had mosquitoes or flies during the height of summer, all because of the Mistress's mosquito‑repelling pills. I never expected the skills they taught Young Miss, Young Miss remembered them all…"
"Young Miss should have shown your skill earlier. With such formidable medical knowledge, we wouldn't have been looked down upon."
Two days had passed since they left the manor, and Fuling was still marveling at Qin Wan's medical skill.
Qin Wan had lost both parents at age nine, then moved from the capital to Jinzhou. During that time, her circumstances were pitiable, with no opportunity to study medicine. The only possibility was that Qin Wan had learned medicine before the age of nine. Thinking it over, Qin Wan attributed the reason to the deceased Qin Yi and his wife.
Fuling had mentioned earlier that Qin Yi and his wife were both learned individuals. If so, it was plausible they had read medical texts and taught them to the young Qin Wan. Fuling trusted Qin Wan from the bottom of her heart. Even if something felt slightly off, she still believed this explanation.
A gentle morning breeze blew. Following the small path in front of the western back courtyard, Qin Wan and Fuling walked to the lotus pond again.
Fuling glanced toward the front courtyard. "It's been two days. Why hasn't the Old Madam made any move?"
The manor's masters must know they left the manor. Yet two days had passed without any reaction.
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes. "Since the Old Madam truly doesn't care about you and me, she genuinely doesn't pay attention. As long as we don't do anything to damage the Qin Manor's reputation, why would she spare us a second glance?"
This was Qin Wan's speculation. Jiang‑shi most likely simply didn't want to expend energy on her.
Hearing this, Fuling also found it quite reasonable. "That's fine too. We enjoy the peace. Only, Young Miss's health isn't fully recovered yet. Coming to this lotus pond every day isn't good. It's near water, quite chilly."
Qin Wan shook her head, then glanced toward the northeast.
That day, the Ninth Young Miss had first come to the lotus pond. How did she get to the purple bamboo grove?
Though the lotus pond was secluded, shortly after nightfall, servants might still pass by. It was unlikely the Ninth Young Miss was forcibly abducted there. The only explanation was that she walked there herself.
But the Ninth Young Miss was timid. Knowing the purple bamboo grove was haunted, why would she walk there herself?
Qin Wan frowned deeply. Suddenly, Fuling pointed across the pond. "Young Miss, look!"
Qin Wan turned. Amidst the rockery, she could vaguely see several servants carrying two large boxes toward the front courtyard. The boxes were draped with red curtains, looking very festive.
Fuling murmured, "Seems like they're preparing gifts for someone's wedding."
Though this was the Third Household of the Loyal and Valiant Marquis's family, with that name, they were still a top‑tier noble family in Jinzhou. Whose wedding would require such lavish gifts from them?
The thought flashed through her mind. Qin Wan didn't dwell on it, patting Fuling's arm. "Go fetch a blanket."
It was indeed chilly by the water. Hearing this, Fuling turned and left. After a few steps, she looked back with lingering fear. "Young Miss, wait right here for Fuling. Don't wander off."
A slight smile touched Qin Wan's lips. "Alright. While you're at it, see if the medicinal tea from this morning is ready."
Fuling acknowledged and hurried off. The smile faded from Qin Wan's lips.
She hadn't brewed any medicinal tea at all. Fuling wouldn't find it and would be delayed for a while.
Qin Wan took a shallow breath and followed the lakeside path toward the northeast.
The entire northern part of the Qin Manor was quite wild and overgrown. Leaving the lotus pond, Qin Wan followed a small path covered in fallen leaves. Before long, the fresh scent of bamboo reached her nose. Her eyes brightened, and she quickened her pace.
She had observed for two days. As Fuling said, this purple bamboo grove was indeed a forbidden area in the manor. The path leading in this direction showed no human traces all day. Since that was the case, she would investigate during the day.
Another moment passed, and Qin Wan reached the entrance to the purple bamboo grove.
It was early autumn. The purple bamboo grove was still lush and green. But because it had become forbidden, the paths within the grove were untended, covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves. Qin Wan stepped onto them, making soft *crunching* sounds.
Following the path inward, the warm sunlight was blocked by the dense bamboo canopy. A penetrating chill rose from Qin Wan's feet. The grove was eerily quiet, not even the sound of birds. Combined with the years of decaying leaves, the entire purple bamboo grove exuded a damp, cold, sinister feeling.
Not to mention at night; even during the day, it was somewhat creepy.
What had lured the Ninth Young Miss here?
Or had she seen something strange, a person or an event, and followed it here?
Thinking this, Qin Wan looked back. On the leaf‑covered path, her footprints were very faint. On the night of the twenty‑first of the seventh month, there had been heavy rain. After so long, finding footprints would be extremely difficult.
She had abrasions on her shins and thighs, finger marks on her ankles, strangulation marks on her neck. Later, she also discovered bleeding points on her scalp. Qin Wan walked to the center of the bamboo grove, stopped, and slowly closed her eyes.
If the Ninth Young Miss had been grabbed by the ankle and dragged while unconscious, the wounds would have been very uniform. But her injuries weren't entirely like that. Though abrasions, they were somewhat irregular. The Ninth Young Miss must have struggled violently while being dragged.
And the abrasions were on the front of her legs. The Ninth Young Miss had been dragged face‑down.
Under what circumstances would the Ninth Young Miss be grabbed by the ankles while face‑down?
Qin Wan took a step forward. Her foot suddenly stepped on a dry branch. Bamboo branches, being cylindrical, easily caused slips. Qin Wan held her breath. The Ninth Young Miss must have fallen, then been grabbed. So, initially, she must have been running…
Qin Wan's brows drew together sharply. A vivid reenactment of the murder played out in her mind.
Running, falling, being grabbed, dragged deeper into the bamboo grove, her hair seized, her body flipped over, then, a brutal hand closing around her neck!
Qin Wan's eyelids twitched violently. The person who killed the Ninth Young Miss was a man!
Only a man would have that kind of strength!
The Ninth Young Miss was a mistress in the manor. Even if people disliked or despised her, no one would actually want to kill her. Otherwise, how could she have survived in the Qin Manor for four years? And from entering the purple bamboo grove to fleeing and then being killed…
Qin Wan's eyes snapped open. She had seen something she shouldn't have!
As this thought arose, Qin Wan's heart began to pound wildly. Instinctively, she turned, her gaze sweeping around, wanting to find more evidence. But as she turned, amidst the deep forest and green bamboo, a man stood silently, having appeared at some unknown moment.
In the gloomy, dim light, the man looked at her, a smile playing at the corners of his eyes.